INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Refurbishment

Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 17 January 2000, Official Report, column 415W, what the cost of refurbishing each ministerial private office was in each year since May 1997. [37902]

Clare Short:
The costs of refurbishing the two ministerial private offices were as follows:

1997: £7,978

1998: £7,376

1999: Nil

2000: Nil

2001: Approximately £60,000. 1

1 This is an estimate of the cost of the works carried out in these areas, as part of the overall refurbishment of the whole of the 1 Palace Street building.

26 Feb 2002 : Column 1116W

Empty Properties

Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total area in square feet of all empty properties owned by (a) her Department, (b) her agencies and (c) other public bodies for which she has had responsibility was in each year since May 1997. [37811]

Clare Short:
My Department has had no empty properties during the specified period. There are no other agencies or public bodies for which we are responsible.

Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria

Norman Lamb:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if the global fund for AIDS, TB and malaria will aim to treat those already infected with HIV. [37837]

Clare Short:
The global fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria (GFATM) is committed to adopting a balanced, integrated approach between treatment and prevention. Moreover, it will work through existing country co-ordination mechanisms wherever possible. These mechanisms will be free to shape any bid for funding around their own assessment and experience of in-country priorities. A decision on which of the first tranche of proposals to support will be made in April by the GFATM board, which has equal representation of donors and developing countries.

Norman Lamb:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what procedures the global fund for AIDS, TB and malaria has in place to ensure that those with specific local knowledge of the regions in need are able to play a full part in the decision-making processes of the fund. [37835]

Clare Short:
The global fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria (GFATM) has incorporated a number of safeguards to ensure that those with specific local knowledge of the regions in need are able to play a full part in the decision-making process.

Applications to the fund will use existing country co-ordination mechanisms wherever possible. These mechanisms will be free to shape their applications around their own assessment and experience of in-country priorities.

The fund is in the process of establishing a technical review panel made up of experts from developed and developing countries and including those with an in-depth knowledge of working in regions in need. The panel will review applications submitted to the board and make recommendations to the board. The board, which itself comprises an equal number of representatives from developed and developing world countries, plus representatives from NGOs and the private sector, will take the final decisions on funding.

Norman Lamb:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the global fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria has an overall policy to purchase drugs at the lowest possible cost. [37836]

Clare Short:
Yes. The global fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria (GFATM) has an overall policy to purchase drugs at the lowest possible price consistent with the

26 Feb 2002 : Column 1117W

trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPS) agreement and the Doha ministerial declaration on TRIPS and public health.

Norman Lamb:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development where and how the resources of the global fund for the alleviation of AIDS, TB and Malaria are being disbursed for health systems and treatments; what strategies were decided upon when the fund's management board met on 28 January; and if she will commit additional resources to the fund. [37838]

Clare Short:
No decisions on disbursements from the global fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) will be made until the second board meeting in April. However, the fund does have agreed principles and an operating framework. The UK contributed to the process of agreeing these and was content with the outcome.

The first board meeting on 2829 January resulted in the fund being legally established as a foundation in Switzerland. The board approved a call for proposals and finalised a set of guidelines for their submission, which also explain the proposal review process.

The main challenge for the fund in its first year will be to demonstrate value added and effectiveness in its use of the funds already committed. Donors including the UK will consider the level of future contributions in light of the fund's initial performance.

26 Feb 2002 : Column 1118W

Afghanistan

Mrs. Spelman:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what proportion of the humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan announced on 19 September 2001 has been disbursed; [37735]

(2) what proportion of the humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan announced on 12 October 2001 has been disbursed. [37737]

Clare Short:
On 19 September 2001 I announced £25 million to help meet the immediate humanitarian needs in response to the Afghanistan crisis. On 12 October 2001 I announced a further £15 million of humanitarian assistance. These allocations have been fully disbursed through various United Nations agencies, the Red Cross movement and non-governmental organisations.

Pakistan

Mrs. Spelman:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of the humanitarian assistance to Pakistan announced on 28 September 2001 has been disbursed. [37736]

Clare Short:
The following table provides the current expenditure and invoiced totals against the individual project allocations.

Pakistan

Emergency short-term assistance

Allocation (£000)

Spend to 20 February 2002 (£000)

Advanced or invoiced (£000)

Total (£000)

Percentage

Lady health workers

5,200



4,424

4,424

85

NWFP Drugs

1,000



592

592

59

Balochistan Drugs

1,000



559

559

56

Sarhad rural support

1,100

309

342

651

59

Social marketing of condoms

2,700

1,944

527

2,471

92

Total

11,000

2,253

6,444

8,697

79

Notes:

Total column reflects expected expenditure in the current financial year, as agreed with Government of Pakistan based on need and absorptive capacity.

Balance of funds should disburse by end May.

Sexual/Reproductive Health

Mrs. Spelman:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contributions her Department has made to sexual and reproductive health non-governmental organisations in each of the last three years; and which of these organisations were British based. [37734]

Clare Short:
This information is not held centrally in the form requested and to provide it would be at disproportionate cost to my department. However, a useful summary of payments made to all UK civil society organisations can be found in "Statistics on International Development 1996/972000/01", Table 14, DFID Expenditure through UK CSOs 2000/01, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Empty Properties

Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 4 February 2002, Official Report, column 644W, what the total area in square feet of all empty properties owned by (a) her Department, (b) her agencies and (c) other public bodies for which she has had responsibility was in each year since May 1997. [37915]

Ms Hewitt:
To ascertain the total area in square feet of empty freehold properties owned by the Department of Trade and Industry, her non-departmental public bodies and public corporations would involve disproportionate costs. However, we are able to supply the details for the National Environmental Council and British Nuclear Fuels plc.

Status

Year

Empty freehold properties

Area per square foot

NERC

2000

5

37,311.00

2001

2

12,755.00

BNFL plc

1999

2

72,000.00

2000

3

142,000.00

2001

3

114,000.00

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Civil Servants

Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the (a) percentage and number of rail journeys undertaken on first class tickets, (b) average cost of a first class journey by rail and (c) total cost of rail travel in each of the past four years broken down by grade of civil servant. [37495]

Ms Hewitt: (a) The departmental travel agent arranged 16,616 first class rail journeys in 2001. This represents 60 per cent. of the journeys arranged by them. They do not, however, arrange all the department's rail journeys.

(b) The average cost of those first class journeys, booked as above, was £113.

(c) The DTI does not record cost of rail travel by grade of civil servant separately from other data on travel expenses paid for staff undertaking departmental business. To provide the information requested would entail disproportionate cost.